But Humbolt County officials would tell you that their pot isn't all that green. Increasingly, Humbolt's finest is grown indoors. In many cases, growers live in remote areas, powering the lights that feed the plants with diesel-powered generators — hardly a green source of energy. Since 2001, the Humboldt County Division of Environmental Health has responded to at least 50 violations at indoor grow operations, including one 1,000-gallon diesel spill and a number of leaks into the water table.
Add to those operations those that get their power from the grid — which draw enough power to make Humbolt County's per capita energy use 25 percent higher than the state average, a spike that dates to the passage of Prop 215.
If legalization brought pot back out in the open — which handicappers give about a 50/50 chance of happening in November — some of these problems could be ameliorated, but not overnight and not without strong consumer demand for weed that's green in more than just color. And saying you'll vote yes in November doesn't make your habit any more sustainable in the meantime.
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